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If your ministering has settled into a reliable cycle of “Thinking of you! How are you doing?” texts, you're certainly not alone. It's a good text, go ahead and send it BUT there are so many other ways we can minister. If you need a few ideas to get your brains moving again, use our free September Ministering Bingo board. It's filled with simple ways to connect, serve, remember, pray for, and spend time with the people around us. You will also find a blank version so you can fill it up with ideas that fit your people even better.

Save it for later, pin it now (and spread the word)

Why a Ministering Bingo Board?

It is not a checklist of what “good ministering” is supposed to look like. Please don't look at 25 squares and suddenly feel like you have 25 new assignments. Nobody needs that.

Instead, think of it as an idea starter.

We tend to fall into familiar patterns. Maybe you're great at sending a monthly text but haven't thought about inviting someone over for dessert. Maybe dropping off treats is your specialty, but asking someone what you can pray for them about feels new. Maybe you already visit regularly and just need a few fresh ideas to keep in touch in between.

The bingo board gives us a little nudge to break out of our normal routine and expand what we think ministering can look like.

And September is a particularly good month for it. School is back in session, schedules are changing, fall activities are beginning, and General Conference is getting closer. There are lots of natural opportunities to check in and reconnect.

We've made two versions of the September Ministering Bingo printable.

The first is ready to go with 24 simple ministering ideas plus a free space. You'll find ideas such as asking what someone hopes to hear at General Conference, sharing something from your garden, following up on something they told you, praying for the answers they need, and even sending them a funny fall meme.

The second version is completely blank, so you can create a bingo board that fits your specific circumstances.

Challenge yourself to get five in a row, choose one square each week, or simply use the board as a collection of ideas and forget about getting a bingo at all.

More September Ministering Ideas

If you're using the blank board, here are a few more ideas with a September feel. These are different from the ideas already included on the completed printable:

Deliver a few freshly baked muffins for an easy school-morning breakfast.
Invite them to a high school game, fall festival, farmers market, or other local September activity.
Drop off a small bunch of sunflowers.
Send a photo of a beautiful September sunset with a quick hello.
Offer a ride to a church activity.
Help with carpool one day.
Invite them to sit with you at an upcoming ward activity.
Take the kids to the park so they can have a little breathing room.
Deliver a simple General Conference treat or activity they can save for Conference weekend (we’ve got lots to choose from).
Ask if there's a General Conference question they'd like you to pray about with them.
Send a link to a Conference talk that has helped you recently.
Invite someone to join you for a service project.
Pick up an extra seasonal fruit or vegetable while you're shopping and share it.
Leave a handwritten note telling them one thing you appreciate about their family.
Help clean up an outdoor project before cooler weather arrives.
Learn the birthday or another important date of someone you minister to and put it on your calendar.

Use It for Ministering Interviews

Rather than ministering interviews becoming a quick report of "Yep, they're doing fine," the board can help open up a conversation.

Look through it together. What have they already been doing naturally? Is there an idea that would fit the sisters you minister to? What wouldn't fit them at all? What have you learned about what makes them feel cared for?

You could hand out the completed board or provide the blank version for sisters to customize.

Use It With a Relief Society Lesson

Keep this one tucked away for the Sunday when a General Conference talk or ward focus turns to ministering. Instead of ending the lesson with another general reminder to "go minister," hand everyone something that helps them think about what that could actually look like this week.

The blank board could also make a great group activity. Let sisters brainstorm ideas together and fill in their own squares. You'll probably end up with far more ideas than we could ever squeeze onto one printable.

Don't Forget the Youth

This could also be a really helpful way to introduce youth to ministering.

Many teenagers haven't had years of experience being ministered to themselves, so “go minister” can be surprisingly vague. What does that actually mean? Do you have to make an appointment? Bring cookies? Give a spiritual message? Sit awkwardly on somebody's couch for 45 minutes?

Nope.

Give the youth a blank board and let them brainstorm ways they could notice, include, encourage, pray for, and serve other people. Suddenly ministering becomes much more concrete and they may come up with ideas the adults never would.

Print September's Boards

Download the Free September Ministering Bingo

Both versions of the September Ministering Bingo are free to download.

Our standard terms allow you to print up to 30 copies. However, if you're using this for your ward or Church class and your group has more than 30 people, you have our permission to print enough copies for everyone in that group.

Print it for ministering interviews, use it with a Relief Society lesson, introduce ministering to the youth, or stick one on your own fridge and choose an idea when you need a little inspiration.

The goal isn't to complete squares. It's to help us notice a few more ways we can care for the people the Lord has placed around us.